Describes the practical workup of a multiple choice examination system in electrical engineering. Discusses some of the pedagogical advantages obtained by statistical handling of the data. Provides some examples of items. (TW)

Argues that the writing program serving second-language writers requires the following: a program and courses that provide and use social context for writing and language development; teachers who know about both writing and language; and assessment that takes into account principles of language acquisition and literacy development. (JK)

Discusses the issue of oral communication tests through an account of an oral test administered to nearly 1,000 students at Yarmouk University Language Center. The ways in which the institution attempted to overcome problems in the oral test's feasibility, validity, and reliability are presented. (Author/CB)

Traces the development of environmental education in Scotland. Describes the interdisciplinary efforts that have taken place in both elementary and secondary schools since 1974, noting the integration of environmental topics and concepts into various subject areas. Urges Scottish schools to further infuse environmental education into the…

Describes study of undergraduates conducted to test the effectiveness of illustrations in texts, based on two hypotheses concerned with the differences between analogical and literal illustrations in serving two specific instructional functions and ways in which male and female students utilize illustrations. Results are analyzed, and…

Describes an interactive computer-testing and record-keeping system that was implemented for a self-paced anatomy and physiology course. Results of exploratory research are reported that focus on student preference for online testing, test anxiety, attitude, and achievement; and suggestions are given for integrating a computer-testing program into…

Administered neuropsychological tests to alcoholic subjects before and after their participation in two weeks of memory training, training in problem-solving techniques, or no training. The problem-solving group showed greater improvement on problem-solving tests but not on memory or perceptual-motor tests. Younger subjects in the memory training…

Discusses two facets of the disparity between the way children learn and the way they are tested: the necessity of practice and the importance of prior knowledge. (FL)

Groups of retarded and nonretarded children were investigated as they learned three rules underlying problems adapted from the Raven Progressive Matrices Test: rotation, imposition, and subtraction. Results were seen as consistent with theories that emphasize transfer flexibility as one potential source of individual and comparative differences in…

Presents major stages in design and development of criterion referenced tests (CRT) with emphasis on differences between CRT construction and norm-referenced test construction. Discussion covers test interpretation; test theory; preparation for test construction (hierarchical analysis, item type selection, and choosing number of items); test…

Sex differences in performance on the Australian Scholastic Aptitude Test (ASAT) were investigated. No significant direct effect of sex on performance was found. Sex differences were found to be the result of females having a higher verbal ability, males studying more mathematics, and males having greater confidence in ASAT success. (LMO)

To estimate reading difficulty of items on a sentence repetition task, a study had 50 adult English as a second language (ESL) students repeat each of 26 sentences immediately after two presentations. High-difficulty items were derivationally more complex than low-difficulty items, and the most difficult items involved the processing of…

The performance of native and nonnative Hindi-Urdu speaking children (N=131) and adults (N=30) in the comprehension of the Hindi-Urdu correlative constructions was analyzed. Results indicated that Hindi-Urdu correlative constructs are acquired relatively late by both native and nonnative speakers, suggesting that language universals are available…

Explains background to development by the British Broadcasting Corporation of Inside Information, a course providing an introduction to information technology for adults, and its linking to the City and Guilds of London Institute's short-course program. Medium and long-term education scenarios are suggested based on the Inside Information model.…

Questions one of the assumed benefits of rapid growth in rural areas--the retention of rural youths through finding employment in their home communities. Finds no relationship between migration intentions of 970 high school seniors in rural Utah counties and rapid growth in local energy-related extractive employment. (LFL)